Goodwill - Good Samaritans in Fla. rescue amputee

Published: Monday, May 27, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 24, 2013 at 11:54 a.m.

Two Good Samaritans are being praised after authorities say they rescued a disabled veteran whose wheelchair rolled into a southwest Florida pond.

Police in Lealman, Fla., say 79-year-old Robert Lunay was sitting in his wheelchair overlooking a pond the night of May 17 when his wheelchair slipped and he fell into the water. Lunay is a double-amputee.

Robert Fields and Norman Steers happened to be nearby and heard Lunay calling for help. They jumped into the water and pulled him to shore.

Lunay was not injured.

Lealman Fire Capt. Larry Thompson says "this could have ended tragically" if the two men had not rushed to action.

Amputee meets dolphin

Also from the AP, and Florida:

Tampa, Fla. | A toddler whose feet were amputated after her father accidentally backed over her with a riding lawnmower had a special meeting with her hero.

Ireland Nugent has often been seen clutching a stuffed animal of Winter, the dolphin with a prosthetic tail, in her wheelchair since the April 11 accident. She even carried the toy with her when she left the hospital nearly a month after the accident.

On May 18, she got to meet the real Winter the dolphin.

Bay News 9 reported she initially cried, but soon reached out and touched the mammal.

Winter lost her tail to a crab trap and has become an ambassador to those who have lost limbs. A major motion picture was made about her story.

Ireland underwent seven surgeries and will be fitted for prosthetic feet in the coming weeks.

Please email stories of good deeds to Will Jones at Will.Jones@StarNewsOnline.com. Or, if you wish, you can submit them online at StarNewsOnline.com/goodwill or mail them to StarNews, attn: Goodwill, 1003 S. 17th St., Wilmington, N.C. 28401. Include your name, address and phone number.

<p>Two items from news around the country come to mind this week.</p><p>From the Associated Press:</p><p>Two Good Samaritans are being praised after authorities say they rescued a disabled veteran whose wheelchair rolled into a southwest Florida pond.</p><p>Police in Lealman, Fla., say 79-year-old Robert Lunay was sitting in his wheelchair overlooking a pond the night of May 17 when his wheelchair slipped and he fell into the water. Lunay is a double-amputee.</p><p>Robert Fields and Norman Steers happened to be nearby and heard Lunay calling for help. They jumped into the water and pulled him to shore.</p><p>Lunay was not injured.</p><p>Lealman Fire Capt. Larry Thompson says "this could have ended tragically" if the two men had not rushed to action.</p><p>Amputee meets dolphin</p><p>Also from the AP, and Florida:</p><p>Tampa, Fla. | A toddler whose feet were amputated after her father accidentally backed over her with a riding lawnmower had a special meeting with her hero.</p><p>Ireland Nugent has often been seen clutching a stuffed animal of Winter, the dolphin with a prosthetic tail, in her wheelchair since the April 11 accident. She even carried the toy with her when she left the hospital nearly a month after the accident.</p><p>On May 18, she got to meet the real Winter the dolphin.</p><p>Bay News 9 reported she initially cried, but soon reached out and touched the mammal.</p><p>Winter lost her tail to a crab trap and has become an ambassador to those who have lost limbs. A major motion picture was made about her story.</p><p>Ireland underwent seven surgeries and will be fitted for prosthetic feet in the coming weeks.</p><p>Please email stories of good deeds to Will Jones at Will.Jones@StarNewsOnline.com. Or, if you wish, you can submit them online at StarNewsOnline.com/goodwill or mail them to StarNews, attn: <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic92"><b>Goodwill</b></a>, 1003 S. 17th St., Wilmington, N.C. 28401. Include your name, address and phone number.</p>